Satanas. Quien es? (en ingles)
Satans Story: Not Taken SeriouslyBy Dr. David R. Reagan
Most people do not take Satan seriously. For many he is nothing more than a cartoon character in a red suit with a sneer on his face, horns on his head, and a pitchfork in his hand.
Recent polls have revealed that 60% of Americans believe Satan is just a symbol of evil and not a living being.1 Even 52% of Christians who identify themselves as “born-again” deny the reality of Satan.2
Celebrities often mock Satan and Hell. I remember a few years ago when the 70th birthday party of Willie Nelson was televised nationally. At one point they showed a collection of video tributes to the famed Country singer. One of Willie’s well known friends laughed and said, “Happy birthday, Willie! I look forward to partying with you in Hell!”
Conan O’Brien, the popular late night TV host, wrote and performed a song mocking Hell. The song is so perverse that only parts can be quoted. The following section will give you the idea:3
I’m gonna go to Hell when I die
I’m gonna go to Hell when I die
I can’t be saved, it’s too late for me
I’m going to H-E Double L when I D-I-E
You could say I’m messed up, but I’m keepin’ it real
I’ll sleep with your mom for a home cooked meal
Give a guy with no legs a new pair of shoes
And give Ben Affleck a bottle of booze
I call up Nick Lechey, tell him he’s gay
Then ask Jessica to spell Chevrolet
I’m gonna go to Hell when I die
I’m gonna go to Hell when I die
Cable television’s Ted Turner mocked Hell in a similar manner when he said, “I don’t need anybody to die for me. I’ve had a few drinks and a few girlfriends, and if that’s gonna put me in Hell, then so be it.”4
The Australian hard rock band, AC/DC, released an album in 1979 titled, “Highway to Hell.” The title song bragged about their determination to end up in Hell:5
Ain’t nothing I would rather do
Going down, party time
My friends are gonna be there too
I’m on the highway to Hell
No stop signs or speed limit
Nobody’s gonna slow me down
Hey, Satan paid my dues
Playing in a rocking band
Hey, Momma, look at me
I’m on the way to the promised land
I’m on the highway to Hell
The heavy metal band called Acheron has an album titled, “The Rites of the Black Mass.” On the album, a person from the Church of Satan actually reads the rites of the Black Mass as the group sings:6
Glory to thee, Almighty Satan
We praise thee, we bless thee
We adore thee
Thou art Lord
Thou alone, O Mighty Satan
In their song, “The Prince,” the group named Metallica sings:7
Angel from below
I wish to sell my soul
Devil take my soul
With diamonds you repay
I don’t care for Heaven
So don’t you look for me to cry
And I will burn in Hell
From the day I die
There are many other such examples of Satanic songs being peddled today by various musical groups. Most of these songs are probably parodies designed to do nothing but shock. But some of the groups profess to be Satan worshipers.
At the 1991 MTV Awards, the spokesman for the group called Red Hot Chili Peppers acknowledged the receipt of their award by saying, “First of all, we want to thank Satan…”8
Whether the music is a parody or is a sincere expression of worship, the Satan and the Hell it glorifies do not exist. The true Satan has no interest in blessing anyone, except for the purpose of ensnaring their souls, and there will be no partying in Hell. The Word of God teaches that Satan is a real person who is interested only in the destruction of people — all people, even those who claim to worship and adore him.
Notes
1) The Barna Group, “Most American Christians Do Not Believe that Satan or the Holy Spirit Exist,” www.barna.org, and Religious Tolerance, “About Ghosts, Satan, Heaven, Hell, etc.,” http://www.religioustolerance.org/.
2) Religious Tolerance, “About Ghosts, Satan…”
3) Conan O’Brien, “I’m Gonna Go to Hell When I Die!” http://www.jesusis-savior.com/.
4) Sam Lavender, “God Made A Way,” http://www.voiceoftheevangelists.com/.
5) AC/DC, “Highway to Hell,” http://www.lyricsfreak.com/.
6) Acheron, “The Rites of the Black Mass,” http://www.av1611.org/.
7) Metallica, “The Prince,” http://www.sing365.com/.
Wes Penre, “Satanic Quotes by Musicians,” http://www.illuminati-news.com/.Satans Story: Ancient Origins
Satan is a spirit being who was created by God before the creation of the heavens and the earth (Job 38:4-7). He is in no way equal to God. He is not omnipresent. He is not omniscient. Many believe he was one of three archangels (the other two being Michael and Gabriel), but the Bible identifies only one archangel by name — Michael (Jude 9). However, the book of Daniel indicates that there may be other archangels when it says that Michael was “one of the chief princes,” obviously implying there are other angels of his type (Daniel 10:13).
We are specifically told that Satan was “an anointed cherub” who was responsible for covering or guarding the throne of God (Ezekiel 28:14). In the Scriptures, cherubim appear to be angels of a higher order who are assigned special guard duties by God. The first mention of them can be found in Genesis 3:24 where we are told that after the expulsion of Adam and Eve from the Garden of Eden, God stationed cherubim on the East of Eden to prevent them from having access to the tree of life (Genesis 3:24).
Some have concluded that one of Satan’s main responsibilities may have been that of a worship leader. That’s because there is a reference in Ezekiel 28:13 to his “tambourines and flutes.” However, the words here in Hebrew are uncertain. The King James Version refers to “tarbets and pipes.” The New International Version translates the words as “settings and mountings.” The New American Standard Bible refers to “settings and sockets,” but provides the alternative translation of tambourines and flutes.
More definitely we are told in the Scriptures that Satan was created in perfection, and that therefore he was “full of wisdom” and “perfect in beauty” (Ezekiel 28:12-13). We are also told that he was covered with precious gems (Ezekiel 28:13).
Satans Story: Lofty Fall
As with all of God’s higher beings, both men and angels, Satan was given free will because God desires true fellowship and not the orchestrated adoration of robots. We are told that, tragically, Satan used his free will to make a decision to rebel against God. Isaiah describes it in this way, quoting Satan (Isaiah 14:13-14):
I will ascend to heaven;
I will raise my throne about the stars of God,
And I will sit on the mount of assembly…
I will ascend above the heights of the clouds;
I will make myself like the Most High.
Notice the repetition of the phrase, “I will.” The words literally seethe with rebellion. And Ezekiel tells us that the rebellion was rooted in pride: “Your heart was lifted up because of your beauty; you corrupted your wisdom by reason of your splendor” (Ezekiel 28:17). Satan became filled with unrighteousness and violence, and his sin resulted in God casting him out of Heaven (Ezekiel 28:15-17).
When was Satan kicked out of Heaven? We can only guess. The book of Job tells us that all the angelic host (which would include Satan) “shouted with joy” when God laid the foundation of the earth (Job 38:4-7). So Satan’s fall must have taken place between the time the creation was finished and Adam and Eve were tempted. At the end of the creation week, God pronounced all of His creative work to be “very good” (Genesis 1:31), so the fall of Satan had to take place after that.
The gap between the end of the creation week and the temptation of Adam and Eve could have been anywhere between a few days or a few years. We know there was a lapse of time because Adam gave names to each of God’s creatures before the temptation of Eve occurred (Genesis 2:19-20).
When Satan was cast out of Heaven, he took one-third of the heavenly host with him (Revelation 12:4). Jesus referred to this event when He told His disciples, “I saw Satan fall from Heaven like lightning” (Luke 10:18). The angels who rebelled with Satan became the demonic spirits that infest our planet today. This is the reason that Satan was referred to by the Pharisees as “the ruler of the demons” (Matthew 9:34).
In the next segment of this “Satan’s Story” series, we’ll look at what the Bible says concerning the vile characteristics of Satan.
Satans Story: Despicable Character
I want to emphasize that Satan is not some inanimate evil force or power. He is a real person with all the traits of personality — feelings, emotions, will and intelligence.
He appeared to Jesus and tempted Him mightily in the Judean wilderness (Matthew 4:1-10). Jesus carried on a vigorous conversation with Satan. Jesus was not talking to a shadow or to Himself. Satan is never presented anywhere in the Scriptures as anything other than a supernatural spirit being — a person in every sense of the term.
The character of Satan is thoroughly despicable. He is the essence of evil. He is described in the Scriptures as “a murderer” and “the father of lies” (John 8:44). The New International Version puts it colorfully when it says that when Satan lies, “he speaks his native language” (John 8:44).
Satan’s basic nature is perhaps best summarized in some of the names that are given him in the Bible:
* Accuser (Zechariah 3:1 and Revelation 12:10)
* Adversary (Job 1:6 and 1 Peter 5:8) This is the Hebrew meaning of Satan.
* Beelzebub (Matthew 12:24, 27) Meaning either “Lord of the flies” or “Lord of dung.”
* Belial (2 Corinthians 6:15) Meaning worthless or hopeless ruin.
* Deceiver (Revelation 12:9)
* Destroyer (Revelation 9:11) Apollyon in Greek or Abaddon in Hebrew.
* Devil (1 John 3:8) From the Greek word, diabolos, which means slanderer or defamer.
* Dragon (Revelation 12:3-17)
* Enemy (Matthew 13:39)
* Evil One (John 17:15)
* God of This World (2 Corinthians 4:4)
* Prince of This World (John 12:31)
* Roaring Lion (1 Peter 5:8)
* Ruler of Darkness (Ephesians 6:12)
* Serpent (Genesis 3:1 and Revelation 12:9)
* Tempter (Matthew 4:3)
* Thief (John 10:10)
* Wicked One (Ephesians 6:16)
Satans Story: Earthly Domain
Two of the titles in this list are often confusing and disturbing to Christians — namely, “God of this world” and “Prince of this world.” “How can this be?” people often ask. “Didn’t Jesus defeat Satan at the Cross? Hasn’t Satan been dethroned?”
The answer is that Satan’s ultimate defeat was sealed at the Cross, but it has not yet been realized in history. That’s why many years after the Cross, the Apostle John wrote, “…the whole world lies in the power of the evil one” (1 John 5:19). The writer of the book of Hebrews asserts that all things have been put in subjection to Christ, “but now we do not yet see all things subjected to Him” (Hebrews 2:8).
The de-throning of Satan as the prince of this world was guaranteed by Jesus’ victory over the Cross through the power of His resurrection. But Satan will not actually be removed from his throne until Jesus returns, at which time “the God of peace will crush Satan…” (Romans 16:20). The total defeat of Satan is a delayed benefit of the Cross, just as is the receipt of our glorified bodies.
A key aspect of the conflict between God and Satan is all about dominion. This earth was created for Mankind. God granted dominion over the creation to Adam and Eve (Genesis 1:28). But when the two of them succumbed to Satan’s temptation, that dominion was lost. Satan stole it, and he became the prince of this earth. That’s why he could legitimately tempt Jesus by offering Him all the kingdoms of the world if Jesus would only bow down and worship him (Matthew 4:8-10).
Satans Story: Ultimate Fate
Satan roams about this earth like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour (1 Peter 5:8). This does not mean that Satan is free to do as he pleases. He is on a leash. He may be the prince of this world, but he operates under the authority of the King of the universe.
This important point is illustrated in the story of Job. Satan had to ask God’s permission before he could tempt Job, and even when the permission was granted, certain limitations were placed on what Satan could do (Job 1:7-12).
This story illustrates another point. Satan currently has access to God’s throne, and according to Revelation 12:10, he uses that access to accuse believers day and night.
Satan’s Prophesied Fate
Satan’s ultimate fate was prophesied at the very time that Adam and Eve sinned. God spoke a curse on Satan when He said:
I will put enmity
Between you [Satan] and the woman,
And between your seed and her seed;
He [the seed of woman] will bruise you on the head,
And you shall bruise him [the seed of woman] on the heel.
This is a remarkable prophecy given at the very dawn of history. It is the first Messianic prophecy in the Bible. What God is saying here is that a person born of the seed of woman (a virgin) will suffer a wound from Satan on his heel, but he will then inflict a wound on Satan’s head. The wound on the heel is symbolic of a non-lethal strike. This prophecy was fulfilled in the resurrection of Jesus from the dead. The wound on the head is symbolic of a lethal strike and will be fulfilled when Jesus returns and casts Satan into the lake of fire.
Satan’s Current Activities
As we await Satan’s ultimate defeat, we must deal with the temptations he and his demonic hordes place in front of us. Fortunately, those of us who are believers have the blessing of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, and we are assured that “He who is within us is greater than he who is in the world” (1 John 4:4).
We are encouraged to “put on the full armor of God,” that we might be able “to stand against the schemes of the devil” (Ephesians 6:11). And we are told that if we submit ourselves to God, then when we resist the devil, he will flee from us (James 4:7).
We are also advised to avoid giving Satan an opportunity in our lives (Ephesians 4:27). In other words, we should do everything we can to avoid temptation. And in that regard, I have learned through personal experience that it is much easier to avoid temptation than it is to resist it.
Satans Story: False Messiah
As the signs of the end times continue to multiply, Satan must be chomping at the bit because he knows Bible prophecy (Revelation 12:12), and he realizes that the time is fast approaching when he will be able to physically manifest himself as the God of this world.
He is going to do this through a man he will anoint and then possess as his messiah (Daniel 8:24). The Bible calls this man the Antichrist (1 John 2:22), and his characteristics will be the same as Satan’s. In 2 Thessalonians 2:3 he is referred to as “the son of destruction.” Utilizing the power of Satan (Revelation 13:2), the Antichrist will conquer all the earth (Revelation 13:7).
And while the Antichrist is consolidating his worldwide empire, Satan will try one last time to seize the throne of God in Heaven. This will result in a heavenly war in the middle of the Tribulation. Satan and all his demons will fight against the archangel Michael and his angels. Satan will, of course, be defeated in this insane effort to displace his Creator.
We are told in Revelation that Satan will be cast down to earth and his access to Heaven will be cut off completely (Revelation 12:10-12). Satan will be filled with great wrath, and he will decide to take out his anger on the Chosen People of God — the Jews (Revelation 12:12-17).
He will begin this process by possessing the Antichrist and then motivating him to enter the rebuilt Jewish Temple in Jerusalem and declare himself to be god (2 Thessalonians 2:4), demanding that all the world worship him.
When he is rejected by the Jews, Satan will then motivate him to annihilate the Jewish people. Satan will do this because he hates the Jews with a passion. He hates them because they are God’s Chosen People. He hates them because God worked through them to provide the world with the Bible. He hates them because it was through them that God sent His Son, the Messiah. And he hates them because God has promised that one day a great remnant of the Jews will turn their hearts to their Messiah and be saved (Isaiah 10:20-23, Zechariah 12:10 and Romans 9:27-28).
Satan is determined to annihilate the Jews so that God cannot fulfill His promise to bring a great remnant to salvation. Satan has tried to do this many times in the past, as with the Spanish Inquisition and the Nazi Holocaust. This will be his last attempt, and it will almost be successful, for we are told that the Antichrist will slaughter two-thirds of the Jewish people during the last half of the Tribulation (Zechariah 13:8).
Satans Story: Eternal Destination
The Tribulation will end with the Second Coming of Jesus. The Antichrist and his False Prophet will be seized and thrown alive into the lake of fire, which is Hell (Revelation 19:20-21). At that point the activity of Satan will come to a temporary end. He will be held captive for the next thousand years while Jesus reigns over all the earth from Jerusalem (Revelation 20:1-3).
At the end of the Lord’s millennial reign, Satan will be set free, and he will go forth to deceive the nations (Revelation 20:7-8). This is a very perplexing development to most people. What is the purpose of releasing him?
The answer has to do with one of the fundamental purposes of the Millennium. Humanists believe that evil is rooted in society and can be uprooted through societal reforms. In sharp contrast, the Word of God teaches that evil is rooted in the fallen nature of Man (Jeremiah 17:9 and Mark 7:20-23).
God is going to disprove the Humanist theory during the Millennium. He is going to put all of Mankind into a perfect society where righteousness and justice prevail. There will be no homeless or poor people. There will be no unmet needs (Isaiah 11:4-9).
Yet, at the end of that glorious time, when Satan is released, he will rally the nations of the world against Jesus, and they will march on Jerusalem to overthrow the King of kings (Revelation 20:7-9). This worldwide revolt will prove that you cannot truly change people by changing their environment.
The change cannot be external. It must be internal, and that can happen only through the work of the Holy Spirit who is received by believers when they put their faith in Jesus as Lord and Savior (Acts 2:38 and Ephesians 1:13).
This raises an additional question. Why would most of those living in the flesh join a revolt against God after living for a thousand years in a perfect society? Well, just stop for a moment and consider the fact that the Scriptures say Jesus will rule with a rod of iron (Psalm 2:9 and Revelation 2:27). This means He will dictate the law, and it will be strictly enforced by those of us in glorified bodies who will be reigning with Jesus (Revelation 2:26-27). Justice will be swift and certain.
Now, think what it would be like to live in the flesh under such a government. The fallen nature would constantly be desiring the things of the world — drugs, alcohol, promiscuous sex, gambling, etc. Yet, knowing justice is swift and certain, most people will restrain themselves and praise Jesus through clenched teeth. But once Satan is released, he will call on the frustrated, unrepentant sinners of the world to join him in overthrowing “the joker in Jerusalem.”
Thus, history is going to end as it began, going in full circle. It started with two people in a perfect environment called the Garden of Eden. They rebelled against their Creator. It will end with all of humanity living in a perfect environment, the Millennium, and most of them, like Adam and Eve, will decide to revolt.
The final rebels of history will be supernaturally destroyed by God when they march on Jerusalem (Revelation 20:9). At that point, Satan will be thrown into the lake of fire (Hell) where he will be tormented day and night forever, together with his demons and the Antichrist and False Prophet (Revelation 20:10).
Notice how these revelations of God’s Word dispel the mythical concept of the Middle Ages that Satan and his demons will be in charge of Hell where they will eternally torment the lost souls of Mankind. On the contrary, the Bible teaches that Hell was created for the torment of Satan and his angels (Matthew 25:41). Satan will not be the CEO of Hell. He will be a prisoner of Hell.
He will also be an object of derision. Isaiah says that the saved will be allowed to gaze upon him, and they will mock him by saying, “Is this the man who made the earth tremble, who shook kingdoms, who made the world like a wilderness and overthrew its cities?” (Isaiah 14:16-17).
Satans Story: Self-deceived Deceive
Why does Satan persist in his rebellion against God? Doesn’t he realize there is no hope in his attempt to dethrone the Creator of the universe?Satan may be the great deceiver, but he himself is the most deceived being in the universe. There is no deception greater than self-deception, and Satan has convinced himself that he can ultimately triumph.
But he is doomed. No matter what he throws at God, it will be tossed right back into his face, and it will be converted to the glory of Jesus.
Consider the Cross. Satan manipulated the murder of God’s Son. He thought he had achieved his greatest victory. But through the power of the Resurrection, God converted the most dastardly act of history into one of history’s most glorious events.
Satan has got to be the most frustrated creature in all of God’s creation. It is no wonder that Psalm 2 tells us that while Satan plots and schemes against God and His Anointed One, the Creator sits in Heaven and laughs! (Psalm 2:4). His laughter is not motivated by a lack of concern. He laughs because He has the wisdom and power to orchestrate all the evil of Satan to the triumph of His Son.
I am God, and there is no other;
I am God, and there is no one like Me,
Declaring the end from the beginning
And from ancient times things which have not been done,
Saying, “My purpose will be established,
And I will accomplish all My good pleasure”…
Truly I have spoken;
Truly I will bring it to pass.
I have planned it, surely I will do it.
(Isaiah 46:9b-11)
Sobre Angeles (disculpas, esta en Ingles)
“Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by this some have entertained angels without knowing it.”Yes, the Bible teaches the reality of angels, and it teaches that they sometimes take on human form in order to minister to those who are in the process of being saved (Hebrews 1:14).
What are angels? Where did they come from? What is their purpose? Do they have a ministry today? How do they relate to the end times?
The Ministry of Angels: Origins
By Dr. David R. ReaganAngels are spirit beings (Hebrews 1:14) which were created by God (Genesis 2:1 and Colossians 1:16). Exactly when they were created is not clear, but they pre-date the creation of the material universe because the Scriptures say that they witnessed the creation and rejoiced over it (Job 38:4-7).
One of the greatest myths concerning angels pertains to their origin. Many people are convinced that when a saved person goes to Heaven, he or she becomes an angel. There is no biblical basis for this belief. Angels and humans are two separate entities. The Bible says that Man is slightly lower than the angels (Hebrews 2:5-7), but the Bible also teaches that through redemption Man becomes superior to angels and that the saved will one day judge the angels — most likely the fallen angels (1 Corinthians 6:3).
Jesus spoke of two kinds of angels — the “angels in Heaven” (Matthew 22:30) and “the devil and his angels” (Matthew 25:41). The latter seem to have originated from Satan’s rebellion against God.
Satan was originally one of God’s most glorious angels, “full of wisdom and perfect in beauty” (Ezekiel 28:12). But his heart became lifted up because of his beauty (Ezekiel 28:17), and his pride motivated him to try to take the throne of God (Isaiah 14:12-14). Due to his rebellion, he was cast out of Heaven, down to earth, and one third of the angels were cast out with him because they joined his rebellion (Revelation 12:4).
The Bible does not tell us when this revolt took place, but it was most likely after the end of the creation week because at the end of that week God pronounced all of His creation to be “good” (Genesis 1:31).
I believe these fallen angels are the demons that are referred to in both the Old and New Testaments. Satan, in fact, is called the “ruler of the demons” (Matthew 9:34).
Three places in the Hebrew Scriptures we are told that people sacrificed to demons (Leviticus 17:7, Deuteronomy 32:17 and Psalm 106:37). With the opening of the New Testament, there is an explosion of demonic activity, undoubtedly in response to the First Coming of the Messiah. Jesus was often confronted by demons who recognized who He was (Mark 3:11), and much of His healing ministry was directed at casting demons out of people (Matthew 8:16).
The Bible teaches that some of these fallen angels did not keep to their properly assigned domain (Jude 6), and they were thus bound in a place called Tartarus, probably a compartment in Hades, possibly even the abyss or chasm that exists in Hades (Luke 16:26). What is meant by “not keeping to their own domain” is not clear. Some believe this is a reference to Genesis 6 where we are told that “the sons of God” had sexual relations with “the daughters of men” and that their union produced a race of giants known as the Nephilim (Genesis 6:1-4).
What is the nature of angels? What forms do they take? How many are there? Just how powerful are they?
Nature
Angels are created spirit beings (Nehemiah 9:6 and Hebrews 1:14). Yet, the Bible clearly teaches that they can take on human form and appear to people. In the Old Testament there are recorded appearances of angels to Abraham, Hagar, Lot, Jacob, Moses, Joshua, Gideon, David, Daniel, and many others. The New Testament opens with a whole series of angelic appearances related to the birth of the Messiah. After the death of Jesus, angels appeared at His tomb and at His ascension. Peter, John, Phillip, and Paul all had angelic encounters in their ministries.In their biblical appearances angels always manifest themselves as men. There is no mention of them having wings. The idea that angels have wings is rooted in the Bible’s description of some special angelic beings called Seraphim and Cherubim who reside in the throne room of God in Heaven. Seraphim are described as having six wings (Isaiah 6:2). Cherubim are depicted with four wings (Ezekiel 1:5-6).
When angels take on human form, they appear like any normal person (Genesis 18:2 and Genesis 19:1-17). When they manifest themselves in their spirit form, they tend to appear as dazzling light (Matthew 28:1-4).
Angels have emotions. They rejoiced over the creation of the universe (Job 38:7), and we are told that “there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents” (Luke 15:10).
Angels do not marry or procreate (Matthew 22:30). They do not age nor are they subject to death (Luke 20:36). Therefore, their numbers remain constant. The exact number is not revealed, but it is very large. Ten thousand angels appeared to Moses on Mount Sinai (Deuteronomy 33:2). David saw 20,000 at one time (Psalm 68:17). When John was raptured to the throne room of God, he saw ten times ten thousand (KJV) or, as the New American Standard Version puts it: “myriads of myriads, and thousands of thousands” (Revelation 5:11). The book of Hebrews says there are “innumerable myriads” (Hebrews 12:22).
Angels have great knowledge, but they are not omniscient. Jesus said, for example, that angels do not know when His Second Coming will take place (Mark 13:32). Angels are very powerful (2 Thessalonians 1:7 and 2 Peter 2:11), but they are not omnipotent. They are obedient servants of their Creator (Psalm 103:20). They can move about rapidly, but they are not omnipresent. In short, angels are not gods, and therefore, they are not to be worshiped (Colossians 2:18 and Revelation 22:8-9).
There is no biblical passage that says angels have to eat to stay alive, but the Bible portrays them as eating when they take on human form (Genesis 18:1-8 and 19:1-3). Also, Psalm 78:25 refers to the manna God provided to feed the children of Israel in the wilderness as “the bread of angels.”
In like manner, the Bible never specifically says that angels sing, but their singing is implied in two ways. First, their words are often expressed in poetic form (Luke 2:14, Revelation 4:8, 11, and Revelation 5:9-10,12-13). Second, music is a universal form of worship, and angels are pictured worshiping the Lord unceasingly (Psalm 148:1-2 and Revelation 4 and 5).
When angels speak to a person, they always use that person’s native language. But the Bible indicates that angels have a language of their own that they use among themselves (1 Corinthians 13:1).
What are the different types of angels, and what about the special angels that serve in God’s throneroom?
Types
There is quite a variety of angels in addition to the regular ones and the fallen ones.The Bible indicates that Satan may have originally been the supreme angel. Before his fall, he is referred to as “the anointed cherub” (Ezekiel 28:14). He is further described as “the seal of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty” (Ezekiel 28:12- 13). After Satan’s fall, an angel named Michael became the chief of God’s heavenly host. He is the only angel referred to in the Bible as an “archangel” (Jude 9).
The Hebrew Scriptures portray Michael as “the great prince who stands guard over the sons of your people [the Jews]“ (Daniel 12:1). The book of Revelation pictures Michael as the commander-in-chief of the armies of God, and in this capacity, he wages war against Satan in the middle of the Tribulation when Satan tries one last time to take the throne of God (Revelation 12:7-9). So important and powerful is Michael that some cultic groups, like the Jehovah’s Witnesses and the Seventh Day Adventists, have incorrectly identified him with Jesus.
In 1 Thessalonians 4:16 we are told that when Jesus appears for the Rapture of the Church, the event will be heralded by the shout of an archangel. Since Michael is the only angel identified in the Scriptures with this title, he is most likely the one who will utter the shout.
Another angel VIP is Gabriel. He emerges in the Scriptures as God’s premier messenger. He appeared to Daniel twice, first to interpret a vision concerning the Antichrist (Daniel 8:15-26), and second, to present the prophecy of the 70 Weeks of Years (Daniel 9:20-27).
In the New Testament, Gabriel serves as an angel of annunciation. He was the one who proclaimed to Zacharias that his wife would give birth to a prophet named John (Luke 1:8-20). And he is the angel who told Mary that she would be the mother of the Messiah (Luke 1:26-33).
There are two mysterious groups of angels that occupy the throne room of God. They are called Seraphim and Cherubim. The Seraphim are pictured only once in the Scriptures, in Isaiah 6:1-3. In this passage Isaiah is given a glimpse of God’s throne room in Heaven. He sees angelic creatures called Seraphim hovering above God’s throne. They are described as having six wings each. They appear to be worship leaders as they cry out, “Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of hosts, the whole world is full of His glory.”
The Cherubim are first mentioned in Genesis 3:24. After the fall of Adam and Eve and their expulsion from the Garden of Eden, God posted Cherubim with flaming swords “to guard the way to the tree of life.” They are next mentioned in Exodus 25 when God told Moses to place images of two Cherubim on the mercy seat (the lid) of the Ark of the Covenant (Exodus 25:18-20).
When King Solomon built his magnificent temple, he placed two gigantic images of Cherubim in the Holy of Holies. Their outstretched wings hovered over the entire chamber, including the Ark of the Covenant with its smaller Cherubim (2 Chronicles 3:8-14). These symbolic usages of Cherub symbols indicate that Cherubim are special guardians of God’s things.
The most detailed description of these enigmatic celestial creatures can be found in chapter one of Ezekiel’s prophecy. Ezekiel was a prisoner in Chaldea by the Chebar River when he had a vision of a storm coming from the north with glowing figures in the clouds (Ezekiel 1:1-4). He described them as “four living beings” that had “human form,” but each of them had four faces and four wings (Ezekiel 1:4-6). They gleamed like burnished bronze (Ezekiel 1:7). Each of these creatures had the face of a man, the face of a lion, the face of a bull, and the face of an eagle — seemingly representing all of God’s creation (Ezekiel 1:10).
Ezekiel later identifies these creatures as Cherubim (Ezekiel 10:15) when he encounters them for a second time. The second encounter is a sad one. It occurred when God decided to withdraw His glory from the Holy of Holies in preparation for the destruction of Jerusalem by the Chaldeans. As the glory of the Lord (what the Jews called “the Shekinah”) departed, Ezekiel witnessed Cherubim accompanying it to Heaven (Ezekiel 10:1-22).
When the Apostle John was raptured to Heaven from the Isle of Patmos, he saw similar creatures in front of God’s throne. Like Ezekiel, he referred to them as “four living creatures” (Revelation 4:6). What he saw was very similar, but not exactly the same. He does not mention each having four faces, and he says they had six wings each instead of four. But he does state that each one had a different face, and the faces mentioned are the same as what Ezekiel saw — lion, bull, man, and eagle.
The only other special angel mentioned in the Scriptures is a very special one indeed. He is the one who is referred to throughout the Old Testament as “The Angel of the Lord.” I believe He is none other than Jesus making preincarnate appearances.
What are the different roles that angels play in human history — past and present?
Roles
Michael is the commander-in-chief of the heavenly host and the designated defender of Israel. Gabriel is God’s special messenger. The Seraphim are worship leaders. The Cherubim are guardians. The Four Living Creatures of Revelation are either identical with the Cherubim or else they are special representatives of all God’s creation. Like the Seraphim, they praise God without ceasing (Revelation 4:8-9).Regarding the host of regular angels, the Bible makes it clear that they are servants of God who have a variety of tasks. One of those tasks is indicated by their name. The very word, angel, is derived from the Greek word, angelos, which means “messenger.” The Hebrew equivalent, malakh, also means “messenger.” Accordingly, angels are often pictured in the Scriptures as delivering messages from God. The examples abound throughout the Scriptures. To mention only a few —
- The Law was given to Moses through angels (Acts 7:53 and Galatians 3:19).
- Angels are portrayed as mediums of revelation to God’s prophets (Daniel 4:13-17, Zechariah 1:9-11, and Hebrews 2:2).
- Abraham was informed by angels that his wife would have a child (Genesis 18:1-10).
- Lot was warned by angels of the impending destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah (Genesis 19:1-16).
- Joseph was visited by angels three times in dreams. He was assured that Mary was a virgin (Matthew 1:20). He was told to take his family and flee to Egypt (Matthew 2:13). And he was informed when it was safe to leave Egypt and return to Nazareth (Matthew 2:19-20).
- Cornelius, the first Gentile convert, was told by an angel to send for Peter to receive a special message from God (Acts 10:1-8).
An equally significant role of angels is to execute judgments of God. They were sent to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah (Genesis 19:12-15). An angel of the Lord killed 185,000 Assyrian soldiers in one night to prevent them from attacking Jerusalem (2 Kings 19:35). Psalm 78:49 speaks of a “band of destroying angels” that was sent to torment the Jews in the wilderness when they rebelled against God. The New Testament makes it clear that God will execute His end time judgments on the nations through angels (Matthew 13:49- 50 and Jude 14-15).
Some angels seem to have highly specialized responsibilities that relate to the natural universe. Revelation 16:5 refers to “the angel of the waters.” Another is called the angel “who has power over fire” (Revelation 14:18). In Revelation 7:1 four angels are pictured who have control of the winds of the earth.
The most popular concept of the role of angels is that of guardians. Most people seem to believe that God has assigned a guardian angel to each person. The Bible never says this, but it does indicate a guardian role for angels. As I have already mentioned, the Archangel Michael is the protector of Israel (Daniel 12:1). Jesus indicated that children have guardian angels. He is quoted in Matthew 18:10 as saying, “See that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that their angels in heaven continually behold the face of My Father…”
Hebrews 1:14 indicates that believers may have guardian angels: “Are they [angels] not all ministering spirits sent out to render service for the sake of those who will inherit salvation?” I love this verse, and I often claim it in prayer. For example, when I have to travel out of town, I always pray for the Lord to post an angel at my home to watch over my wife. And I always pray for the Lord to surround my airplane with angels to guarantee a safe flight.
A companion verse to Hebrews 1:14 can be found in Psalm 91:11-12 —
11) For He will give His angels charge concerning you, to guard you in all your ways.The letters Jesus dictated to John for the seven churches of Asia Minor are addressed to “the angel” of each church. Some believe this is a reference to the pastor, and that could very well be, but I cannot help but imagine that the Lord has assigned an actual angel to guard each of His true churches.
12) They will bear you up in their hands, lest you strike your foot against a stone.
With one exception, which we will see later, angels are never given the responsibility of proclaiming the Gospel. This is the work of the Holy Spirit through human evangelists, pastors, and laymen. But angels are often portrayed as playing an active role in evangelistic preparation. Thus, it was an angel who directed the evangelist Philip to the location of the Ethiopian enunch so that the Gospel could be shared with him (Acts 8:26). The situation is reversed with the Roman soldier, Cornelius. An angel appeared to him in order to direct him to Peter so that Peter could share the Gospel with him. Angels guide, but the Holy Spirit instructs (Acts 8:29).
Several verses indicate that angels are active and involved eyewitnesses to what is going on in the Church and in the lives of believers (1 Corinthians 4:9, 11:10 and 1 Timothy 5:21). Surely the “cloud of witnesses” referred to in Hebrews 12:1 must include the angels as well as saints who have gone to be with the Lord. In this sense I think we can consider the angels to be our cheerleaders! We know for certain that they celebrate when a sinner repents and is saved (Luke 15:10). The Bible also indicates that they attend the death of a believer. In His story about Lazarus and the rich man (Luke 16:19-31), Jesus left us with the comforting concept that when a believer dies, his spirit is ushered into the Lord’s presence by angels (Luke 16:22).
Dr. Vance Havner commented on the impact of angels as observers in his book, Though I Walk Through the Valley (1974). He tells the story of the pastor of a small country church who was working late into the night on a sermon. His wife asked him why he was spending so much time on a message that would be given to such a small congregation. He replied, “You forget, my dear, how large my audience will be!” Dr. Havner added, “Nothing is trivial here if Heaven looks on. We shall play a better game if, ‘seeing we are encompassed,’ we remember who is in the grandstand.”
What are the future roles angels will play in the end times?
Angel of the Lord: OT Appearances
Several years ago I received a letter from a fellow in Champaign, Illinois in which he asked me a number of very thought provoking questions about Jesus before He became incarnate in the flesh. Since that time, a number of other people have contacted me with a variety of questions concerning the same subject. I’ve collected my answers and will post them in four parts in this “Angel of the Lord” series.
Question: Did Jesus make appearances before His incarnation?
Answer: Definitely. A good example is found in Isaiah 6. King Uzziah, who had reigned for 52 years in Judah, had just died, and Isaiah, who was probably only a teenager at the time, went to the Temple to mourn the king’s death.
Isaiah was surprised by a vision in which he saw the Lord — the King of kings — “sitting on a throne, lofty and exalted” (Isaiah 6:1). In John 12:41 we are told that what Isaiah saw was Jesus in “His glory” — the glory He had before He became incarnate (Philippians 2:5-8).
Question: I have heard that “the Angel of the Lord” who is often referred to in the Old Testament was really Jesus making preincarnate appearances. Is this true?
Answer: “The Angel of the Lord” is referred to 56 times in 51 verses in the Hebrew Scriptures. The first reference is found in Genesis 16:7-12 where it says that “the Angel of the Lord” appeared to Hagar as she was fleeing in the wilderness from the rage of Abraham’s wife. The Angel told her to go back home, and then He revealed to her that she was pregnant with a son whose name would be called Ishmael.
A study of the subsequent appearances of the Angel of the Lord makes it very clear that they were pre-incarnate appearances of Jesus.
A good example is found in Exodus 3. There we are told that the Angel of the Lord appeared to Moses in the burning bush (verse 2). Then we are later told that the Angel spoke to Moses and said, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob” (verse 6).
In Exodus 23 we are told that God the Father spoke to Moses and said He would send an angel to guide and protect the Children of Israel in the Wilderness. He refers to this angel as “My angel” and states that “My name is in Him” (Exodus 23:20-23). This is obviously no ordinary angel.
In Judges 13 we are told that the Angel of the Lord appeared to Manoah and his wife to inform them that they would have a child named Samson. When Manoah asked the Angel for His name, He replied, “Why do you ask my name, seeing it is wonderful?” (Judges 13:18). Manoah got the point of this statement immediately, for he turned to his wife and said, “We shall surely die, for we have seen God” (Judges 13:22).
The Angel’s deity is also attested to by the fact that on two occasions He accepted worship. When He appeared to both Moses (Exodus 3:1-5) and Joshua (Joshua 5:14-15), they were told to remove their sandals for they were “standing on holy ground.”
Couldn’t the Angel of the Lord have been God the Father rather than God the Son?
